Komatsu Launches Its First Intelligent Machine

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Published: Monday, 19 August 2013 09:43

Komatsu America Corp. introduced the D61EXi/PXi-23, Komatsu’s first intelligent Machine Control model to the North American market. Thanks to its first fully automatic blade control, the D61i-23 dozer can perform not only finish grading, which has been possible with conventional Machine Control, but also rough dozing.

As a result, it achieves outstanding improvement in productivity. This is the first machine using this new innovative technology, and it is scalable to other products manufactured by Komatsu.

“We are excited to bring to market the next generation of machine control technology with Komatsu’s “intelligent Machine Control D61i-23,” said Peter Robson, director of Intelligent Machine Controls. “The ease with which the D61i-23 transitions from rough dozing to finish grading with automatic blade control engaged is so seamless that both experienced and inexperienced operators will notice benefits.” Robson continued, “The efficiency improvement, greater value and simplicity of operation of the D61i-23 exemplify the leading innovations that customers have come to expect from Komatsu.”

Longer track-on ground standard (EX) and low ground pressure (PX) models are available to offer customers flotation and weight distribution options that best match their applications. Operating weights range from 39,441 lb. to 41,381 lb. depending on the configuration with a net 168 hp at 2,200 rpm.

The D61i-23 also features the integration of Komatsu’s proprietary KOMTRAX (Komatsu Machine Tracking System) and TOPCON’s construction management system. In the near future, this integrated system will enable high-efficiency, unified management of construction work through access to real-time machine data, via its web service, to track work progress including the amount of soil dozed at jobsites.

While crawler dozers have been able to perform high-precision finish grading after installing an add-on machine control system, the D61i-23 can perform rough dozing as well as finish grading in automatic mode, thanks to its fully automatic blade control.

When rough dozing, the automatic blade control monitors blade load and adjusts blade elevation to minimize track slip and perform high-efficiency dozing. As work progresses closer to the target finish grade, the automatic blade control adjusts accordingly to provide finish grade performance with high-level precision. Improvement in combination rough dozing efficiency is up to 13 percent higher compared to add-on machine control systems.

“The innovation is not only that Komatsu can provide the customer with fully automatic blade control for automatic rough dozing and efficiency improvement,” states Robson, “but also that Komatsu is able to offer this technology while maintaining finish grade performance in the D61 dozer size class, which is one of the most popular size class dozers for machine control usage.”